The Last Puzzle Piece
by C. C. Cr0ss
Summary: "It took a while before he saw him again. He remembers listening to the stomp of his platforms on the tile floor, remembers the smell of leather in the air." T 'cause I'm paranoid. Spoiler to the end of the series.


_The Last Puzzle Piece_

* * *

><p>Mello had left the SPK headquarters on a suicide mission. Near didn't stop him.<p>

Time passed–were they minutes? Hours? He didn't know– and he received the news of his death.

Head working on the possibilities why Mello's plan had failed, he went to the room he called his own.

Pressed against the wall, he waited. Overwhelmed, he found himself on the floor.

"Mello did all those things to help me in the Kira case. That means I am the reason why he's–they're– dead." he heard the thought echoing at the back of his mind. He stared at his own feet, finally noticing the mirror sitting in front of him. He stared back_, _his face twisted in mocking calm.

_Dead._

He curled up on himself, eyes watering and hands turning into fists.

"I am sorry." he thought to no one in particular, staring at his own reflection. The _boy _looked broken, hurt–like a child facing their worst fears–, pitiful.

Cheeks flushed and with hiccups unwillingly escaping his chest, he watched tears run down his face. He didn't recognize himself in the mirror.

_Sorry. Pitiful._

_"I am sorry. Truly sorry."_

A dull ache filled his chest, his breaths turned jagged and short within seconds. He felt his chest tightening, his hands tugging at his shirt as he shook from head to toe.

With careless movements and unsteady fingers he tried to unbutton his shirt, barely managing to take the buttons through their holes. He gaged at his own resignation and took a few minutes to calm himself, regulating his breaths before he tried to open his shirt again. He stared at the chain around his neck, one he had kept a secret for years.

Barely able to stand, he took the puzzle piece from the chain as he ignored the death tracks of tears nagging at his skin, and the ones falling on his collarbone. He headed towards his bed, crawled on his four with the synchronization of an infant and took a box from under the bed.

He moved the lid out of the way, stared at the contents, and ran his fingers over the corners of the incomplete puzzle.

The piece he had worn for the last year–years?–was the missing piece. It was a secret. His secret. _Their_ secret.

* * *

><p>He remembers watching him walk away from the corner of his eye, mumbling incoherent things under his breath and slamming the door.<p>

He was going to leave. They didn't try to stop him, it'd be useless.

Near walked down the halls at the Orphanage with the puzzle between his hands, opened the door to the room they shared and started the puzzle all over again.

He knew he wouldn't find him there. He'd be looking for things he'd need, he wasn't an idiot. Hot-headed and impulsive, yes–but not stupid–.

Minutes passed, and four pieces away to finish the puzzle once again, he placed one in the correct place and stopped at the sound of a click.

He knew Mello was at the door, so he acknowledged him. Expressionless, he stared down at Near as he stopped clutching the knob and entered the room.

No "I hate you, Near", no slam of the door. Odd.

He searched through the closet and drawers, took as little as he could to survive and walked towards the door when he was finished.

And they waited. He had forgotten about the puzzle the moment he had set a foot inside the room. Mello rested his forehead against the back of the door, steadied the light luggage on his back and took the doorknob.

-Are you really leaving, Mello?

He opened the door and grunted as he stepped outside, not looking back at him, not even for a second.

-Of course I am, you idiot. I'm not taking a part in your puzzles anymore - he said -. See you later, Near.

And he was gone. Simple as that. Near stared at the door before him and went back to his puzzle pieces. He took one of the pieces and heard the click of it fitting in the correct place.

-If the cards were right these- he fidgeted with the two pieces on his hand and turned to lock them in the drawer Mello had left open-, are for the last times I'll see you, dear Mello.

* * *

><p>It took a while before he saw him again. He remembers listening to the stomp of his platforms on the tile floor, remembers the smell of leather in the air.<p>

He didn't have to turn around to know it was him. Carefully leaving the tarot cards over each other, he stared at him through the reflection in the monitors in front of him. He watched the markings on his skin, vaguely remembers hearing about the incident on the news.

-Long time no see, Nate.- There were few people that knew his name, he was the only one left. Interested, he turned to face him.  
>-Hello, dear Mello - his was unknown to Near -. What is your business here?<p>

Mello hesitated, looked around the room, eyes stopping at every camera around the room. Chocolate bar on his hand, he shifted his feet as he took a bite. The sound of the monitors behind him made Near fidget with a strand of hair. He stared down at the tarot cards behind the younger boy and barely a whispered:

-I needed to ask you something.  
>-What is it, Mello?<p>

Tapping his feet against the ground, he sighed. Frowning he stared down at the person before him.

-Why'd you ask me if I was going to leave?  
>-You know the answer to that, dear Mello.<em><br>-... do you still–?  
><em>-Why wouldn't I?

He forced out a laugh muttering something like_ "unbelievable" _as he ran a hand over his face. Near smiled back at him, stoic, nervous as he had never been.

-Do me a favor, Near.

Near watched as he turned his back on him, dug his hands on the pockets of his jacket and gave him one last look before he walked away.

-_Stay alive_.

* * *

><p>That morning when he saw him enter the SPK quarters, he felt dread on the pit of his stomach.<p>

He knew he was gone on a suicide mission, was aware they knew his name. He knew Near–… _Anyway._

With all of that, he left.

The noise of the pieces clicking together echoed in the room. He had finally finished the puzzle.

Giving a first look trough the files on the box, he headed for the door.

_Mikael._

_Fin_

* * *

><p>Don't own Death Note, never will.<p>

When I first wrote this, it had something to do with Near and his puzzle and a YouTube video. I barely remember a thing.

Sincerely Yours:

C.C. Cr0ss

––Edit: 05/31/2015––


End file.
